Ice dispenser having stages with different feed rates



P 1969 R. J. ALVAREZ ETAL 3,437,244

ICE DISPENSER HAVING STA GES WITH DIFFERENT FEED RATES Filed Sept. 18.1967 'Sheet of 3 I II 1/ ,1

INVENTORS ROBERT J. ALVAREZ 8 DMGHT w. IAcoBus THE\R ATTORNEY April 8,1969 R. J. ALVAREZ ETAL 3,

ICE DVISPENSER HAVING STAGES WITH DiFFERENT FEED RATES Filed Sept. 18,1967 Sheet 2 of 3 INVENTORS ROBERT J'- ALVAREZ SyGHT w. TACOBUS THE n2ATTORNEY l-" 8, 1969- R. J. ALVAREZ ET AL 3,437,244

ICE DISPENSER HAVING STAGES WITH DIFFERENT FEED RATES Sheet Filed Sept.18. 1967 s ZU V. 5 a 0 n T c N ELI 0 W w TM m E Bw H OD T & Y B

F'IG.7

United States Patent 3,437,244 ICE DISPENSER HAVING STAGES WITHDIFFERENT FEED RATES Robert J. Alvarez and Dwight W. Jacobus,Louisville, Ky.,

assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York FiledSept. 18, 1967, Ser. No. 668,600 Int. Cl. Gtllf 11/20 U.S. Cl. 222240 9Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE -An ice piece dispenser comprising astorage receptacle and rotatable dispensing means within the receptacleincluding a metering section adapted, during each rotation of thedispensing means, to dispense a predetermined number of ice pieces andincluding means for scooping ice pieces from the receptacle and storingsuch ice pieces I at a rate in excess of that at which the ice piecesare dispensed.

Cross-reference to related applications The present invention relatesparticularly to improvements in the ice dispenser of the type disclosedand claimed in the copending application of Robert J. Alvarez, Ser. No.668,364 filed concurrently herewith and assigned to the same assignee asthe present invention.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to an icepiece dispensing service for a conventional household refrigeratorincluding metering means for accurately controlling the number of icepieces periodically dispensed on demand by the dispensing means.

An ice storage and dispensing service particularly adapted for use in asmall freezer or in the freezer compartment of a household refrigeratoris described and claimed in the aforementioned Alvarez application.Briefly described it comprises a receptacle for receiving and collectingice pieces and a dispensing means rotatably supported in a horizontalposition within the receptacle so that, upon operation thereof undercontrol of the user, ice pieces will be automatically dispensed througha discharge opening in the receptacle. The dispensing means generallycomprises a feed section for feeding ice pieces to the discharge openingand a conveying section connected to the feed section and rotatabletherewith for both conveying ice pieces from more remote portions of thereceptacle to the feed section and circulating and agitating the storedice pieces to break up clusters or clumps of stored ice pieces.

For maximum enjoyment of an ice dispenser in a home appliance, it isdesirable that it be designed to discharge a small and controlled numberof ice pieces during each operating cycle thereof so that it can beconveniently used to dispense only a few ice pieces, as for example,into an ordinary drinking glass.

The present invention is directed to and has as its principal object theprovision of an improved feed or metering section for an ice dispensingservice including a rotating horiozntally disposed dispensing meansdesigned to dispense the same number of ice pieces during each cycle ofoperation thereof.

Summary of the invention The dispenser of the present inventioncomprises a receptacle for receiving and collecting the ice pieces andincluding a discharge opening through which ice pieces are periodicallydischarged under control of the user. The dispenser includes rotatabledispensing means hori- 3,437,244 Patented Apr. 8, 1969 zontallysupported in the receptacle for conveying ice pieces to the dischargeopening and including a feed or metering section having at least onelongitudinal pasasge therein offset from the longitudinal axis of themetering section and designed to dispense a predetermined number of icepieces during each operating cycle of the dispensing means. To this end,the passage includes an outlet stage periodically communicating with thedischarge opening and so designed that each time the outlet stage is opn to the discharge opening, a specific number of ice pieces will passthrough that opening. The metering section also includes an inlet stagefor scooping or picking up ice pieces from the receptacle at an averagerate at least equal to the rate at which the ice pieces are dispensedfrom the outlet stage and an intermediate stage between the inlet andoutlet stages. This stage is designed both to advance ice pieces fromthe inlet stage to the outlet stage and to store ice pieces in singlefile arrangement and in an amount greater than the number dispensedduring each dispensing operation of the outlet stage. Thus, the numberof ice pieces available within the metering section for transfer to theoutlet stage is at least equal to the predetermined number of ice piecesto be dispensed by the outlet stage during each operation.

In accordance with one specific embodiment of the invention, the feed ormetering section comprises a cylindrical or tubular member and a 360double helix conveyor or anger coaxially arranged within the tubularmember and having a blade pitch such that the blades in combination withthe tubular member form spiraling longitudinally extending passages forthe transfer of ice pieces in a single file through the feed section tothe discharge opening; the discharge opening being arranged to provide acontrolled discharge of ice pieces from the outlet end of the feed ormetering section. By this construction, a sufiicient number of icepieces are picked up and stored in the feed section so that there isalways available therein at least the number of ice pieces to bedischarge during each operating cycle.

In accordance with another illustrated embodiment of the invention, thedischarge opening is below the outlet end of the metering or feedsection and the metering section includes at least one passage extendinggenerally parallel to the axis of rotation of the metering section andoffset from that axis except for its minor or inlet end portion whichcurves in the direction of rotation of the metering section to providemeans for scooping ice pieces from the receptacle into the passage. Thestraight or principal portion of the passage includes a sloping wallforming part of a storage stage for advancing ice pieces to the oultetend thereof when the passage is above the axis of rotation and a dameffective when the passage is below the axis of rotation for preventingice pieces from intering the outlet stage.

Brief description of the drawings In the accompanying drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of an ice dispensing means of thepresent invention incorporated in the freezer compartment of a householdrefrigerator;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken generally along line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view similar to FIGURE 2 illustratingcertain details of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view illustrating the operation of theembodiment shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken generally along line 5--5 of FIGURE4;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view of a second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGURE 7 is a rear view of the feed or metering section of the dispensershown in FIGURE 6, taken generally along line 7--7 thereof;

FIGURE 8 is a front view of the modification of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken generally along line 99 of FIGURE 6.

Description of the preferred embodiments With reference to FIGURES 1 and2 of the drawing, there is illustrated a household refrigeratorcomprising a freezer compartment 1 having an access opening at the frontthereof closed by a door 2. Within the upper portion of the freezercompartment 1, there is mounted an automatic ice maker 3 which may beany of the well known types presently provided in the householdrefrigerators or home ice service appliances for the automaticproduction of ice pieces generally referred to as ice cubes regardlessof their particular shape.

Ice pieces produced by the ice maker 3 are discharged into a storage binor receptacle 4 which serves not only to store the manufactured icepieces at sub-freezing temperatures but also forms part of an icedispenser designed to dispense the stored ice pieces.

The receptacle 4, which is removably supported on a supporting shelf 5below the ice maker 3, is relatively wide and relatively shallow. Itincludes vertical front and rear walls 9 and 10 and an arcuate bottomwall 11 merging with slanting side walls 12. In this embodiment of theinvention, the front wall of the receptacle includes a discharge opening14 spaced upwardly from the lowest portion of the bottom wall 11.

The dispensing means 7 is designed to convey ice pieces stored inreceptacle 4 to the discharge opening 14. It is horizontally mountedlongitudinally of the receptacle 4 adjacent the lowermost portion of thebottom wall 11 and generally in alignment with the discharge opening 14.More specifically, it is pi-votally supported on the front and rearwalls of the receptacle 4 for rotational movement about its longitudinalaxis and includes a feed or metering section 16 at the front end thereofand a conveyor section 17 integrally connected to the feed section andforming the rear portion of the dispensing means.

The illustrated conveying section 17 for conveying ice pieces to thefeed section comprises a helically coiled wire designed also to agitateand circulate the ice pieces within theireceptacle. It includes, as isshown more fully in FIGURE 3 of the drawing, a first portion 18comprising one or more helical coils designed upon rotation of thedispensing means in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 4to transport ice pieces from the rear of the bucket towards the feedsection and a second portion 19 connecting the first portion to theshaft or longitudinal axis 20 of the feed section. The portion 19 isdesigned to space the portion 18 from the inlet end of the feed sectiona distance suflicient so that ice pieces conveyed to the feed sectionbut not entering that section are recirculated around the feed sectionand again rearwardly towards the rear portion of the receptacle 4.

The rear end of the conveyor section 17 has secured thereto a sleeve 21adapted to loosely fit over or inside of an inwardly extending annularflange 22 on the rear Wall 10 of the receptacle 4. The flange 22 definesan opening in the rear wall 10 for receiving the end of a shaft 23forming part of a motor and speed reduction drive means 26. The shaftincludes radially opposed drive pins 24 adapted to engage cooperatingextensions 25 on the sleeve 21 for rotating the illustrated dispensingmeans in a counterclockwise direction.

The feed or metering section 16 is of a diameter such that with thefront end of the dispensing means rotatably supported by the bearing 29adjacent the discharge opening 14, the bottom of the feed section ispreferably positioned in an arcuate depression 30 in the front portionof the bottom wall 11. This depression is of a depth such 4 that theinner surface of the collar or sleeve 28 forming the cylindrical outersurface of section 16 is substantially in the same plane or slightlybelow the adjacent bottom surface 32 to facilitate entrance of icepieces into the feed section.

For a more detailed description of the construction and operation of thecomponents of the ice dispenser thus far described, reference is made tothe aforementioned Alvarez application.

The present invention is directed to a specific improvement in themetering of feed section 16 whereby, during normal operation of the icedispenser, ice pieces are picked up and stored in the feed section in asuflicient quantity so that a predetermined number of ice pieces aredischarged by the dispensing means during each operating cycle thereof.

In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGURES 1-5 ofthe drawing, a 360 double helix auger of conveyor 35 contained withinand coextensive with the collar 28 provides means for picking up icepieces at the inlet end 36 of the feed section, and storing a pluralityof ice pieces within the feed section while advancing them towards thedischarge openings 14. The diameter of the auger and the pitch of thetwo helical blades 37 are such that the blades cooperate with the innersurface of the collar 28 to form two spiral passages 38 of acrosssection such that ice pieces freely pass therethrough in singlefile arrangement. This construction also results in a feed sectionhaving sufficient length that a plurality of ice pieces, in excess ofthose dispensed during each operating cycle, will be stored within thefeed section.

The advantages of these features will become more apparent from aconsideration of the operation of the feed section. During rotation ofthe dispensing means, which in the illustrated embodiment is designed torotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 4, ice piecesare conveyed towards the feed section 16 by the conveyor section 17 at arate greater than they can enter the inlet end 36 of the feed section.The ice pieces which do not enter the feed section are recirculated tothe rear of the receptacle as described more fully in the Alvarezapplication. Unless the feed section is full, one or more ice pieces areusually scooped into the feed section 16 during each rotation thereof bythe inlet ends 40' of the blades 37. Due to the storage capacity of thepassages 38, a number of ice pieces are always contained within the feedsection 16 during advancement thereof towards the outlet end of the feedsection adjacent the discharge opening 14. Thus the intermediate or midportion of the feed section 16 constitutes a storage stage designed toassure an adequate supply of ice pieces for discharge of the selectednumber of ice pieces through the discharge opening 14 during eachdispensing cycle of rotation regardless of the specific number of icepieces entering the feed section during any one cycle.

As is described and claimed in the aforementioned Alvarez application,the specific number of ice pieces discharged through the dischargeopening 14 during each 180 rotation of the dispensing means depends uponthe position of the discharge opening 14, or more specifically theposition of the edge 42 thereof, relative to the outlet end of the feedsection. This edge forms the top of a dam 43 overlying the front oroutlet end of the feed section and designed to prevent discharge of icepieces until the forward or discharge edge 45 of a blade 37 has rotatedupwardly from its position below the axis 19 a predetermined distance.

The dam 43 is illustrated as being adjustable so that the user canselect the predetermined number of ice pieces to be discharged duringeach 180 rotation of the feed section. The illustrating adjustingarrangement permits the movable dam 43 to be rotated about the axisrepresented by the bearing 29 as shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawing; meanssuch as a set screw 47, being provided to lock the dam in any desiredposition.

The dam 43 is illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawing as positioned todischarge two ice pieces during each 180 rotation of the dispensingmeans. In other words, during every 180 of rotation, the outlet edge 45of one or the other blades 37 rotates to a position level or even withthe edge 42 which permits the front or foremost ice piece 50 to slidedownwardly along the sloping surface of the blade over the edge 42 andthus through the discharge opening 14. Because of the single filearrangement of the ice pieces within each of the channels or passages38, no ice pieces can be discharged through the opening 14 until thisfront ice piece 50 clears the edge 42. At this point, this ice piece andthe ice piece 51 which is immediately behind it and is also supported onthe then downwardly sloping portion of the operating blade 37 or, inother words, has not been rotated or moved over top center positionrelative to the shaft or hub 29, will slide through the opening 14.However, the third ice piece, indicated by the numeral 52, will not bedischarged since by the time the blade edge 45 has cleared edge 42, thisice piece will have been ro tated over top center and thus fallen backtowards the intermediate portion of a channel 38 to be stored thereuntil the feed section rotates through another 360. The ice piece 52will then be the front or foremost ice piece and the first to bedischarged through the opening 14.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the number of ice piecesdischarged through opening 14 during each discharge cycle is the numberpresent on the downwardly sloping portion of a blade at the time theforward edge 45 of that blade clears edge 42. To increase this numberwithout changing the blade diameter or pitch, the portion 56 of eachblade rearwardly adjacent edge 45 may be slanted to a more longitudinalshape, that is, given a greater pitch thereby increasing the total areaof the outlet stage.

Since the position of the edge 42 forming the bottom wall of thedischarge opening 14 determines the point at which the first ice piececan pass through the opening 14, its elevation position relative to axis19 determines the number of ice pieces which will be metered through thedischarge opening 14 in any one particular batch. For example, if theedge 14 is adjusted to a lower position as indicated by the dotted line53 in FIGURE 4 of the drawing, the position of each of the blades 37 atthe time that it clears the edge 42 will be such that three ice pieceswill still remain on the downwardly sloping adjacent portion of theblade 37 so that all three of these ice pieces will be dispensed.Conversely raising of the edge 42 above its solid line position willresult in the second ice piece such as the ice piece 51 also moving overtop center before the foremost or first ice piece 50 is dischargedthrough the opening with the result that only one ice piece will bedischarged during such dispensing cycle.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URES 6-9 of thedrawing, the receptacle 4 is provided with a discharge opening 60 in thebottom wall thereof and immediately below the front portion of the feedsection which is generally indicated in these figures by the numeral 61.

The feed section 61 includes a cylindrical or tubular outer wall orcollar 62 having a generally cylindrical insert therein formed to definewith the collar 62 two diametrically opposed passages 63 ofsubstantially the same shape and configuration. The front end of thesection 61 extends into a sleeve 64 on the front wall 9 above thedischarge opening 60. Each of the passages 63 differ from the passages38 in the first embodiment of the invention in that the storage andoutlet stages thereof forms a substantially straight portion of thepassage 63 or in other words extends longitudinally of the feed section.The inlet stage, on the other hand has a shape similar to the inletstage of the first embodiment.

More specifically, each of the passages 63, as is shown in FIGURE 9 ofthe drawing, includes an outlet stage 65 having an outlet opening 66through the adjacent portion of the collar 62, an intermediate storagestage 67 in longitudinal alignment with the stage 65 and an inlet stage68. That portion of the passages 63 defining the inlet stage 68 iscurved as illustrated in FIGURE 9 of the drawing so that at least thetrailing side wall 69 of this portion of the passage has approximatelythe same shape as that formed by the auger blades 37. Thus, duringrotation of the dispensing means in the direction indicated by thearrows in FIGURES 7 and 8, this wall 69 will scoop cubes from thereceptacle into the passage 63.

Further details of the construction of the passage 63 will become moreapparent from a consideration of the operation of a feed sectiondesigned to dispense ice pieces one at a time. This operation will bedescribed with reference to FIGURE 6 considering, for purposes ofdescription, the illustrated upper and lower passage 63 as representingthe same passage in two different diametrically opposed operatingpositions.

The feed section 61 rotates counterclockwise as viewed in FIGURE 8 ofthe drawing, that is, as viewed from the front of the receptacle 4. Asthe extending edge 70 of the wall 69 moves downwardly into the batch ofice pieces stored in receptacle 4 and during travel thereof through itsbottom half revolution, it picks up an average of one ice piece. Two mayenter if there is no piece already in the intermediate stage 67. Then asthe passage which has received such an ice piece indicated by thenumeral 72 in FIGURE 6 of the drawing moves to its uppermost position,this same ice piece, there indicated by the numeral 72', slides down thesloping bottom wall portion 73 of the intermediate stage 67. If theoutlet stage 65 is empty, the ice piece 75 moves beneath a barrier orpartition 74 to the outlet stage 65 where it is designated by thenumeral 75'.

Normally the ice piece 72 will remain in the inlet stage during at leastrotation of the feed section due to the presence in the intermediatestage of the previously admitted ice piece 75 held there by barrier 74as illustrated in the lower passage 63 of FIGURE 6. The ice piece 75which enters the outlet stage during the time the passage 63 containingthat ice piece is at the top of its rotation, remains in that stageuntil the dispensing means rotates to its bottom point where the outletopening 66 is in communication with the discharge opening 60 provided inthe bottom of the receptacle 4. The ice piece pre viously held in thestage 63 by sleeve 64 is then discharged through the opening 60.However, at this point the dam 74 as illustrated in the lower half ofthe feed section 61 in FIGURE 6 of the drawing prevents any ice piecesin the intermediate stage 67 from advancing to the outlet stage andhence being discharged through the opening 60 at this point.

While the feed or metering section 62 illustrated in FIGURES 6-9 isdesigned to dispense one ice piece through the opening 60 during each180 rotation, it will be obvious, of course, that a longer feed sectionproviding space for additional ice pieces in each of the three stages,as for example two in each stage, can be employed. Because there isnormally an excess of cubes at the entrance end of the feed section 62ready to be scooped into the passages, ice pieces which have entered theinlet end of the passages 63 tend to be pushed forward by following icepieces so that the intermediate stage 67 always contains a supply of icepieces for transfer to the outlet stage 65.

It will be understood that, in the operation of either theabove-described embodiments, any suitable switch means may be providedfor controlling the operation of the drive means and hence rotation ofthe dispensing means. By the use of suitable gear reduction drive means,a relatively slow rotation of the dispensing means can be obtained andsatisfactory control provided by a simple pushbutton switch whereby theuser can depress the switch button to dispense a desired number of icepieces and de-energize the drive means before the dispensing meansrotates to the point where any additional ice pieces are discharged.

While the invention has been described with reference to the particularembodiments thereof, it is to be understood that it is not limitedthereto and it is intended by the appended claims to cover all suchmodifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. An ice dispenser for dispensing ice pieces comprismg:

a receptacle for receiving and collecting ice pieces, said receptaclehaving a discharge opening therein;

dispensing means for dispensing ice pieces from said receptaclecomprising a metering section including at least one longitudinalpassage therein;

means for substantially horizontally supporting said dispensing means insaid receptacle for rotation thereof about the longitudinal axis of saidmetering section; said passage including an outlet stage forperiodically dispensing a predetermined number of ice pieces during eachrotation of said dispensing means, an inlet stage for scooping icepieces from said receptacle into said passage at an average rate atleast equal to the rate at which ice pieces dispensed from said outletstage, and an intermediate stage for advancing ice pieces from saidinlet stage to said outlet stage and storing ice pieces in an amountgreater than said predetermined number whereby at last saidpredetermined number of ice pieces are available Within said meteringsection for transfer to said outlet stage during each rotation of saidmetering section. 2. The dispenser of claim 1 in which said meteringsection comprises a cylindrical collar and a screw auger within saidcollar, the pitch of said auger being such that a passage formed by saidauger and said collar effects single file passage of ice pieces throughsaid metering section. 3. The dispenser of claim 2 in which said augeris a double spiral screw auger forming two diametrical opposed spiralpassages within said collar.

4. The dispenser of claim 3 including a dam at the outlet end of saidmetering means overlying the low portion of said end.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 in which: said intermediate and outletstages of said passage are in longitudinal alignment in said meteringsection;

said intermediate stage includes a sloping wall adapted, when saidpassage is at the top of its rotation, to cause ice pieces in said stageto pass into said outlet stage;

said outlet stage including a discharge opening in the longitudinalouter wall of said metering section for the discharge of ice piecescontained in said outlet stage when said passage is at the bottom of itsrotation;

and a gate means between said intermediate and outlet stages forpreventing the passage of ice pieces from said intermediate stage tosaid outlet stage when said passage is at the bottom of its rotation.

6. An ice dispenser for dispensing ice pieces comprising:

a receptacle including a bottom wall for receiving and collecting icepieces, said receptacle having a discharge opening adjacent one endthereof;

dispensing means comprising, in axial alignment, a

metering section having an inlet end and an outlet end and a conveyingsection for conveying ice pieces to said inlet end;

said metering section comprising a cylindrical member having at leasttwo spaced, longitudinal passages therein offset from the longitudinalaxis of said metering section;

means for horizontally supporting said dispensing means in saidreceptacle for rotation thereof about the longitudinal axis of saidmetering section with the outlet end of said metering section adjacentsaid discharge opening;

said passage including an outlet stage for periodically metering apredetermined number of ice pieces to said discharge opening during eachrotation of said dispensing means, an inlet stage for scooping icepieces from said receptacle into said passage at an average rate atleast equal to the rate at which ice pieces are metered to saiddischarge opening, and an intermediate stage for advancing ice piecesfrom said inlet stage to said outlet stage and storing ice pieces in anamount greater than said predetermined number whereby at least saidpredetermined number of ice pieces are available for transfer to saidoutlet stage during each rotation of said metering section.

7. The dispenser of claim 6 in which said metering section comprises acylindrical collar and a double blade screw auger within said collar,the pitch of said blades being such that a passage formed by said bladesand said collar effects single file travel of ice pieces through saidmetering section.

8. The dispenser of claim 7 including a dam at the outlet end of saidmetering means overlying the low portion of said end.

9. The dispenser of claim 6 in which:

said intermediate and outlet stages of said passage extend inlongitudinal alignment in said metering section;

said intermediate stage includes a sloping wall adapted,

when said passage is at the top of its rotation, to cause ice pieces insaid stage to pass into said outlet stage;

said outlet stage including a discharge opening in the longitudinalouter wall of said metering section for the discharge of ice pieces insaid outlet stage when said passage is at the bottom of its rotation;

and a gate means between said intermediate and outlet stages forpreventing the passage of ice pieces to said outlet stage when saidpassage is at the bottom of its rotation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, PrimaryExaminer.

